Growth Traits In Chinese Cattle Research Articles

Copy number variation of EIF4A2 loci related to phenotypic traits in Chinese cattle.

BackgroundGenerally, copy number variation (CNV) is a large‐scale structural variation between 50 bp and 1 kb of the genome. It can affect gene expression and is an important reason for genetic diversity and phenotypic trait diversity. Studies have shown that the eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4A2 (EIF4A2) gene plays an essential role in muscle development in both humans and pigs. However, the influence of bovine EIF4A2’s copy number change on phenotypic traits has not been reported.ObjectivesTo detect the tissue expression profile of the EIF4A2 gene in adult cattle and individuals’ CNV type of variation. Then, we explored the correlation between EIF4A2‐CNV and growth traits in Chinese cattle breeds.MethodsReal‐time fluorescent quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT‐qPCR) was used to determine the expression profile of the EIF4A2 gene. Real‐time fluorescent quantitative PCR (qPCR) was used to detect the CNV type of bovine populations. Then, SPSS 26.0 was used for association analysis.ResultsIn this study, a total of 513 individuals in four cattle breeds (Qinchuan cattle [QC], Yunling cattle [YL], Pinan cattle [PN] and Jiaxian cattle [JX]) were detected for EIF4A2 gene's CNV. The results showed that EIF4A2‐CNV has an essential impact on hip width (HW) and rump length (RL) in QC, heart girth (HG), chest depth (CD) and RL in YL and HW in PN. However, it had no significant effect on JX.ConclusionsThe above results suggest that EIF4A2 gene's CNV can be used as a molecular marker for cattle breeding, which is helpful to accelerate the breeding of superior beef cattle breeds.

Prediction and copy number variation identification of ZNF146 gene related to growth traits in Chinese cattle

AbstractThe great demographic pressure brings tremendous volume of beef demand. The key to solve this problem is the growth and development of Chinese cattle. In order to find molecular markers conducive to the growth and development of Chinese cattle, sequencing was used to determine the position of copy number variations (CNVs), bioinformatics analysis was used to predict the function of ZNF146 gene, real-time fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was used for CNV genotyping and one-way analysis of variance was used for association analysis. The results showed that there exists CNV in Chr 18: 47225201-47229600 (5.0.1 version) of ZNF146 gene through the early sequencing results in the laboratory and predicted ZNF146 gene was expressed in liver, skeletal muscle and breast cells, and was amplified or overexpressed in pancreatic cancer, which promoted the development of tumour through bioinformatics. Therefore, it is predicted that ZNF146 gene affects the proliferation of muscle cells, and then affects the growth and development of cattle. Furthermore, CNV genotyping of ZNF146 gene was three types (deletion type, normal type and duplication type) by Real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR (qPCR). The association analysis results showed that ZNF146-CNV was significantly correlated with rump length of Qinchuan cattle, hucklebone width of Jiaxian red cattle and heart girth of Yunling cattle. From the above results, ZNF146-CNV had a significant effect on growth traits, which provided an important candidate molecular marker for growth and development of Chinese cattle.

Association analysis of indels in the VISFATIN gene with five cattle breeds and their growth traits

VISFATIN is an adipose cytokine that has been proved to correlate with growth and development traits. In a previous study from our lab, two insertion/deletions (indels; including a 35-bp insertion at its intron 4 and a 6-bp deletion in intron 5) were identified within the VISFATIN gene. To validate these indels and evaluate their association with growth traits in Chinese cattle, a total of 413 samples from four Chinese indigenous breeds and 217 samples from Chinese breeds were detected. Three genotypes (WW, WI and II) at intron 4 were detected based on the 35-bp insertion (allele I) or deletion (allele W) and showed moderate polymorphism in all samples. Two genotypes (WW and WD) at intron 5 were detected based on the 6-bp deletion (allele D) or insertion (allele W) in Xianan (XN) cattle and Jinnan (JN) cattle population but showed poor polymorphisms. Association analysis illustrated that the indel at intron 4 is significantly associated with chest girth, rump length and body weight in Ji'an (JA) cattle and the indel at intron 5 can cause a significant difference in rump length in JN cattle. To our knowledge, it is the first time it has been shown that indels within the VISFATIN gene are associated with growth traits in the two Chinese indigenous cattle breeds. These findings suggest that the VISFATIN gene can be used as a molecular marker for JN and JA cattle breeding.

Copy number variation of the CCDC39 gene is associated with growth traits in Chinese cattle.

BackgroundCopy number variation (CNV) has become an essential part of genetic structural variation. Coiled‐coil domain containing 39 (CCDC39) is a gene that related to the growth and development of organs and tissues. It is identified that it has a CNV region by animal genome resequencing.ObjectiveIn this study, we detected the phenotypic traits and different distributions of CCDC39 gene copy numbers in five Chinese cattle breeds (Qinchuan (QC) cattle, Yunling (YL) cattle, Xianan (XN) cattle, Pinan (PN) cattle and Jiaxian (JX) cattle).MethodsFive hundred and six cattle were randomly selected for CNV distribution detection. Blood samples were taken and genomic DNA was extracted. Different tissues were obtained from adult (n = 3) XN cattle, including heart, liver, kidney, skeletal muscle and lung. The genome qPCR experiment was performed with SYBR Green in triplicate. CDNA qPCR was used to detect the expression level of CCDC39 in different tissues and varieties. Using SPSS v20.0 software, the relationship between CCDC39 CNV and the growth traits of PN, XN, QC, NY and YL cattle breeds was analyzed by one‐way analysis of variance (ANOVA).ResultsThe results showed that the expression of CCDC39 in lung was higher than that in other tissues. The expression in liver and kidney was similar, but the expression in heart and muscle was less. It can be seen that the duplication type of QC cattle CCDC39 CNV is higher than the deletion or normal in the height at hip cross. The normal type of PN cattle in body length and hip width was better than duplication and deletion (p < 0.05). In XN cattle, the deletion type of CNV had superior growth characteristics in heart girth and cannon bone circumference compared with the duplication type and the normal type (p < 0.05).ConclusionThe study revealed a significant association between CNV of CCDC39 gene and growth traits in different Chinese cattle breeds.

Association between copy number variation of SERPINA3-1 gene and growth traits in Chinese cattle

Serpin peptidase inhibitor, clade A (alpha-1 antiproteinase, antitrypsin), member 3 (SERPINA3) belongs to the serine protease inhibitor family A subtype, and contains 8 genes from SERPINA3-1 to SERPINA3-8. Although the regulatory effects of these 8 genes have been revealed one by one in recent years, the related effects of SERPINA3-1 gene on cattle growth is still unclear. This study used quantitative Real time PCR (qPCR) to detect the type of copy number variation (CNV) of SERPINA3-1 gene in a total of 542 Chinese cattle, and expression of SERPINA3-1 gene in different tissues of Qinchuan cattles (adult) on mRNA level. Then association analysis was conducted between the detection results and cattle growth traits. The results showed that the Duplication type in SERPINA3-1 gene performed better on the growth traits and the CNV was significantly correlated with multiple growth traits (p < 0.05). In addition, SERPINA3-1 gene has different expression conditions in different tissues, results showed that SERPINA3-1 gene has a low expression in muscle. In conclusion, we speculate that the SERPINA3-1 gene can be used as a molecular marker and the result of this study could be a basic material for candidate functional genes for beef cattle growth and development.

Copy number variation of bovine DYNC1I2 gene is associated with body conformation traits in chinese beef cattle.

Previous, studies have shown that the dynein transporter compound has a role in diseases such as intellectual disability and cerebral malformations. However, the study of CNV in DYNC1I2 gene has not been reported. Q-PCR and data association analysis were used for DYNC1I2 gene copy in this study. In this study, blood samples were collected from five breeds of Chinese cattle (Qingchuan cattle, Xianan cattle, Yunling cattle, Pinan cattle and Guyuan cattle) for DYNC1I2 gene CNV type detection. SPSS 20.0 software and method of ANOVA were used to analyzed the association between types of CNV and growth traits. Results reveal that the distribution of different copy number types in different cattle breeds is different. Association analysis indicate that CNV of DYNC1I2 gene showed a positive effect in cattle growth: in XN cattle, individuals with deletion types showed better performance on height at hip cross (P<0.05); individuals with duplication types have better performance on body length (P<0.05) in PN cattle; individuals with deletion types was significantly correlated with chest width and Hucklebone width (P<0.05) in QC cattle; individuals with duplication types in Yunling cattle were better than the normal types, and there was a significant correlation between copy number variant and chest depth (P<0.05). The results showed that CNV markers closely related to cattle production traits were detected at DNA level, which could be used as an important candidate molecular marker for marker-assisted selection of growth traits in Chinese cattle, and provided a new research basis for genetics and breeding of Chinese beef cattle.

Distribution of Copy Number Variation in SYT11 Gene and Its Association with Growth Conformation Traits in Chinese Cattle.

Simple SummaryIt is known that many different breeds of cattle are widely distributed in China. However, due to a lengthy selection of draught direction, there are obvious shortcomings in Chinese cattle, such as less meat production, slow weight gain, poor meat quality, and a lack of specialized beef cattle breeds. Animal breeding heavily benefits from molecular technologies, among which molecular genetic markers were widely used to improve the economic traits of beef cattle. Because the copy number variation (CNV) involves a longer DNA sequence or even the entire functional gene, it may have a greater impact on the phenotype. Recent studies have indicated that CNVs are widespread in the Chinese cattle genome. By investigating the effects of CNVs on gene expression and cattle traits, we aim to find those genomic variations which could significantly affect cattle traits, and which could provide a basis for genetic selection and molecular breeding of local Chinese cattle.Currently, studies of the SYT11 gene mainly focus on neurological diseases such as schizophrenia and Parkinson’s disease. However, some studies have shown that the C2B domain of SYT11 can interact with RISC components and affect the gene regulation of miRNA, which is important for cell differentiation, proliferation, and apoptosis, and therefore has an impact on muscle growth and development in animals. The whole-genome resequencing data detected a CNV in the SYT11 gene, and this may affect cattle growth traits. In this study, CNV distribution of 672 individuals from four cattle breeds, Yunling, Pinan, Xianan, and Qinchuan, were detected by qPCR. The relationship between CNV, gene expression and growth traits was further investigated. The results showed that the proportion of multiple copy types was the largest in all cattle breeds, but there were some differences among different breeds. The normal type had higher gene expression than the abnormal copy type. The CNVs of the SYT11 gene were significantly correlated with body length, cannon circumference, chest depth, rump length, and forehead size of Yunling cattle, and was significantly correlated with the bodyweight of Xianan cattle, respectively. These data improve our understanding of the effects of CNV on cattle growth traits. Our results suggest that the CNV of SYT11 gene is a protentional molecular marker, which may be used to improve growth traits in Chinese cattle.

CNV analysis of VAMP7 gene reveals variation associated with growth traits in Chinese cattle

Copy number variant (CNV), a common genetic polymorphism, is closely related to the phenotypic variation traits of organisms. Vesicle-associated membrane protein 7 gene (VAMP7) codes a protein, which is a member of the SNARE proteins family and plays an important role in the process of intracellular vesicle transport. In this study, a total of four cattle breeds (Yunling cattle, Xianan cattle, Pinan cattle, Jiaxian red cattle) were used to investigate the copy numbers, and we found an association relationship between CNV of VAMP7 gene and growth traits of cattle by SPSS 20.0 software. The results showed that the CNV type of VAMP7 gene in four cattle breeds had the same distribution, Duplication type occupies a dominant position among the four varieties. In Yunling cattle, the Duplication type of VAMP7 is significantly related to the height at the hip cross (p < 0.05), Individuals with Duplication type commonly have less performance on growth and development, which indicates that the Duplication type of the VAMP7 gene may have a negative effect on cattle growth. Individuals with the other two CNV types may become the breeding direction of the VAMP7 gene. This study provided a new perspective and basic material for the molecular genetics of the CNV of the VAMP7 gene, and also promoted the breeding progress of Chinese local cattle.

Effect of copy number variation of PLA2G2A gene to growth traits in Chinese cattle.

As a member of genetic polymorphism, copy number variation has been a commonly used method in the world for investigating effect of genetic polymorphism on gene expression. Effect of genetic polymorphism made on livestock development has been more and more important in beef cattle molecular breeding. The characteristics of Chinese cattle are excellent meat quality, tolerant to rough feeding, good environmental adaptability and so on. But there are some obvious weaknesses still exist in the process of cattle growth and development, such as weak hindquarters and growth slowly. To improve the growth performance and market competitiveness of Chinese cattle, a lot of studies have been made about finding and investigating effective molecular marker. In this study, Q-PCR and data association analysis were used for PLA2G2A gene copy number variation detection and related effect analysis in Chinese cattle. Results showed that PLA2G2A gene has a significant effect on two breeds of Chinese cattle on growth traits, which could be a basic materials and effective information of cattle molecular markers breeding. PLA2G2A, member of secreted phospholipases A2 (sPLA2) in superfamily of phospholipase A2, could catalyze the process of glycerophospholipids hydrolysis from position of sn-2 acyl with the release of free fatty acids and lysophospholipids. Researches about PLA2G2A gene are mostly focus on disease, including tumors and diabetes, the number of study occurred on animal breeding is weak. In this study, blood samples were collected from five breeds of Chinese cattle (Qingchuan cattle, Xianan cattle, Yunling cattle, Pinan cattle and Guyuan cattle) for PLA2G2A gene CNV type detection. SPSS 20.0 software and method of ANOVA were used to analyzed the association between types of CNV and growth traits. Results reveal that the distribution of different copy number types in different cattle breeds is different. In QC, XN and GY cattle, the frequencies of Deletion and Duplication are about 40%; in YL cattle, the frequency of Deletion type exceeds 60%; in PN cattle, the frequency of Duplication is closed to 80%. Association analysis indicate that CNV of PLA2G2A gene showed a positive effect in cattle growth: in QC cattle, Chest depth with Normal type copy number possess a increased trend (P<0.05); individuals with Deletion type copy number have better performance on Height at sacrum, Heart girth and Body height in GY cattle (P<0.05). The functional role and molecular mechanism of PLA2G2A gene in animal growth and development are still unclear, and it is necessary for processing a further research. This research aims to provide basic materials for molecular breeding of Chinese cattle.

The combination between NCSTN gene copy number variation and growth traits in Chinese cattle

Copy number variation (CNV) has been used as an important source of phenotypic and genetic diversity in recent years. Nicastrin (NCSTN) gene is usually attached to human diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, and Acne inversa. However, there are no essays about the NCSTN gene combining with cattle breeds. In our study, we discovered different distributions of NCSTN gene copy number and associated it with phenotypic traits in four Chinese yellow cattle breeds (XN, PN, QC and YL). The result turned out that the CNV of the NCSTN gene was associated with several growth traits, such as cannon circumference, chest girth and rump length (p < 0.05). In general, we revealed the eminence over CNV of NCSTN gene and economic traits, suggesting that the CNV of the NCSTN gene can be considered to be a promising molecular breeding marker of Chinese beef cattle.

Genetic variant of SPARC gene and its association with growth traits in Chinese cattle.

SPARC is a cysteine-rich acidic secreted protein. It is a non-collagen component of bone, which is widely distributed in humans and animals and plays an important role. SPARC has been found in a variety of human cancers (breast cancer, stomach cancer, ovarian cancer, etc.) and diabetes-related research. Especially the muscle and fat metabolism are closely related. In this study, we used a DNA pool to detect a new SNP site (g.12454T C). A total of 616 samples of four breeds of Qinchuan cattle (QC, ), Xianan cattle (XN, ), Pinan cattle (PN, ) and Jiaxian cattle (JX, ) were analyzed and identified with ARMS-PCR. In addition, we correlated SNP with growth traits and showed significant correlation with growth traits such as rump length, hip width, and body length (). Moreover, we tested the SPARC gene expression level in different tissues belonging to XN adult cattle () and found its high expression in muscle tissues (relative to the kidney). Further, we found the SNP is able to increase the SPARC expression level in skeletal muscle (). According to statistical data, this SNP site may be applied to a molecular marker of an early marker-assisted selection for early growth of beef cattle.

Differential Expression of ACTL8 Gene and Association Study of Its Variations with Growth Traits in Chinese Cattle

Simple SummaryMarker-assisted selection has a great influence on livestock molecular breeding development. The discovery of key molecular markers that are significantly associated with body size data will accelerate molecular breeding in livestock. In this study, the cattle ACTL8 gene is a critical candidate gene. It was found that there are multiple mutations in the ACTL8 gene that may be used as molecular markers. Our results have shown that the mutations of the ACTL8 gene could have important reference value in molecular breeding for beef cattle. Mutations are heritable changes at the base level of genomic DNA. Furthermore, mutations lead to genetic polymorphisms and may alter animal growth phenotypes. Our previous study found that mutations in the bovine Actin-like protein 8 (ACTL8) gene may be involved in muscle growth and development. This study explored several mutations of the ACTL8 gene and their influence on body size in Chinese beef cattle, as well as tested the tissue expression profile of the ACTL8 gene in Qinchuan cattle at different ages. Five single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (including one synonymous mutation (c.2135552895G > A)) and two insertion/deletion polymorphisms (indels) were identified in the ACTL8 gene from 1138 cattle by DNA-seq, RFLP and other methods. Then, the expression profile of the ACTL8 gene in Qinchuan cattle showed that it was expressed in heart, spleen, lung, liver, muscle, and fat tissues. Moreover, the expression level of ACTL8 was increased with cattle growth (p < 0.01). The ACTL8 mRNA expression level in kidney and muscle tissues was the highest in the calves, while lowest in the fetal stage. Overall, we showed that the mutations could act as markers in beef molecular breeding and selection of the growth traits of cattle.

The PLAG1 mRNA expression analysis among genetic variants and relevance to growth traits in Chinese cattle

Pleomorphic adenoma gene 1 (PLAG1) encodes a developmentally regulated zinc finger protein, locating in growth-related QTNs. The mRNA expression of this gene was investigated in different tissues and from two different developmental periods, whilst to explore the functions of PLAG1 in growth traits of cattle. The results showed that PLAG1 was expressed in all examined tissues. However, PLAG1 expression levels in all examined tissues were significantly different between the 5-month fetus and 36-month adult cattle. Our juvenile results indicated PLAG1 is primarily expressed in embryonic tissues of Chinese cattle. Furthermore, two variations were identified. Association analysis revealed that the two variations were associated with growth traits (p < 0.05 or p < 0.01). These new findings provide a comprehensive overview of the critical roles of PLAG1 in growth traits modulation and can be highlighted as candidate molecular markers in cattle breeding.

Differential Expression of KCNJ12 Gene and Association Analysis of Its Missense Mutation with Growth Traits in Chinese Cattle.

Simple SummaryA central goal of livestock genomic study is to find causal genes underlying economic traits and identify effective variations which can be used as molecular markers for livestock breeding. The cattle KCNJ12 gene is an important candidate gene. To date, however, there have been no reports about the use of its missense mutation as a marker in cattle stature. In this study, missense mutation in KCNJ12 was firstly verified, which led to a change in its protein sequence. Further, a significant association was detected between the mutation of KCNJ12 and cattle stature, and we determined that the mutation in KCNJ12 could be used as a molecular marker in beef breeding programs. In addition, expression analysis of the KCNJ12 gene revealed high abundance in muscle and potential roles in bovine myocyte differentiation, which may be the subject of our future research.The potassium inwardly rectifying channel, subfamily J, member 12 (KCNJ12) gene is a promising candidate for economic traits because of its crucial roles in myoblast development. Here, a missense mutation (Cys > Arg) was first detected to be located in exon 3 of KCNJ12 from three Chinese cattle breeds by DNA-pool sequencing. Then, we performed an association analysis of this single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) with stature in three Chinese cattle populations (n = 820). A significantly positive correlation was revealed by a reduced animal general linear model and the CC genotype was the most favorable in three breeds. Further, we measured the expression profile of the KCNJ12 gene in various cattle tissues and primary bovine skeletal muscle cells. Ubiquitous expression with high abundance in muscle was observed. Further, in primary bovine skeletal muscle cells, the KCNJ12 mRNA expression was gradually up-regulated in differentiation medium (DM) compared with that in growth medium (GM), suggesting that the KCNJ12 gene is involved in bovine myocyte differentiation. Conclusively, the KCNJ12 gene is a functional candidate gene which can be used as a molecular marker for cattle breeding.

Relationship between an indel mutation within the SIRT4 gene and growth traits in Chinese cattle

Growth traits are mainly determined by genetic factors. SIRT4, a class II sirtuin, predominantly acts as an ADP-ribosyltransferase and inhibits fatty acid oxidation. In this study, a total of 1005 cattle belonging to five indigenous Chinese breeds were used to evaluate the relationship between the potential insertions/deletions (indels) within the SIRT4 gene and growth traits. The results revealed that only one intronic variation was present, which showed Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium (p > 0.05) in all the populations. The relationship analyses indicated that this indel was significantly associated with growth traits (p < 0.05), implying that SIRT4 significantly affects the growth traits. Therefore, the deletion mutation within the SIRT4 gene could be considered as a molecular marker to screen for growth traits in the cattle industry.

A novel SNP of PLAG1 gene and its association with growth traits in Chinese cattle

Genetic polymorphism has great influences on the improvement of cattle traits. The polymorphism of the same gene family will greatly change the growth traits of cattle, such as the pleomorphic adenoma gene (PLAG) family. Many studies have shown that the PLAG family proteins are the transcription regulators of nuclear protein, which mainly regulates the expression of many important genes in the body. In cattle, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within or near the PLAG1 gene is associated with economic traits of height in cattle. Here we investigate a SNPs of bovine PLAG1 in 646 cattle from five breeds. We found three different genotypes by using cleaved amplification polymorphism sequence-tagged sites (CAPs), includes some significant differences in body height, chest circumference and other shapes (P < 0.05), also we found that the TT genotype had no advantage in body shape. These results indicate that the selection of PLAG1 gene could be used to ensure the breeding direction for growth traits of the beef cattle.

Genetic Variant of MYLK4 Gene and its Association with Growth Traits in Chinese Cattle

ABSTRACTAs a member of MYLK family, MYLK4 gene may play a vital role in muscle development. In this study, one novel single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) was identified the bovine MYLK4 by sequencing pooled DNA samples (pool-Seq) and forced polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (forced PCR-RFLP) methods. Overall, we reported one mutation (SNP1) in the intron 10 region within the bovine MYLK4 gene in 559 individuals representing five main cattle breeds from China (Nanyang, NY; Qinchuan; Jiaxian, JX; Pinan cattle; and Caidamu cattle, CDM). Genotype AA and allele A were predominant in the QC, PN, and XN populations. Association analysis with growth traits in the QC breed showed that the animals with genotype GG had significantly greater chest breadth and hip width (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, the genotype GG was strongly associated with withers height and body length than those with genotype AA (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05) at 12 months in the NY breed. These statistical results exhibited that the MYLK4 gene might be a potential candidate gene to improve cattle’s growth traits, and the SNP could be used as molecular markers in early marker-assisted selection (MAS) in beef cattle breeding program.

A combined genotype of three SNPs in the bovine gene is related to growth performance in Chinese cattle

Abstract. PPARD is involved in multiple biological processes, especially for those associated with energy metabolism. PPARD regulates lipid metabolism through up-regulate expression of genes associating with adipogenesis. This makes PPARD a significant candidate gene for production traits of livestock animals. Association studies between PPARD polymorphisms and production traits have been reported in pigs but are limited for other animals, including cattle. Here, we investigated the expression profile and polymorphism of bovine PPARD as well as their association with growth traits in Chinese cattle. Our results showed that the highest expression of PPARD was detected in kidney, following by adipose, which is consistent with its involvement in energy metabolism. Three SNPs of PPARD were detected and used to undergo selection pressure according the result of Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium analysis (P &lt; 0.05). Moreover, all of these SNPs showed moderate diversity (0.25 &lt; PIC &lt; 0.5), indicating their relatively high selection potential. Association analysis suggested that individuals with the GAAGTT combined genotype of three SNPs detected showed optimal values in all of the growth traits analyzed. These results revealed that the GAAGTT combined genotype of three SNPs detected in the bovine PPARD gene was a significant potential genetic marker for marker-assisted selection in Chinese cattle. However, this should be further verified in larger populations before being applied to breeding.

Polymorphisms of FLII implicate gene expressions and growth traits in Chinese cattle

Flightless-1 (FLII) is essential for early embryogenesis, structural organization of indirect flight muscle and can inhibit adipocyte differentiation. We therefore aimed to identify common variations in FLII gene and to investigate their effects on cattle growth traits. By DNA sequencing and forced PCR-RFLP methods, we evaluated two synonymous mutations (rs41910826 and rs444484913) and one intron mutation (rs522737248) in four Chinese domestic breeds (n = 628). Association analysis indicated that these SNPs were associated with growth traits and gene expressions (P < 0.05). At rs41910826, individuals with TT and/or CT genotypes had some better body sizes in Jiaxian, Nanyang, and Qinchuan breeds. Consistently, among adult Qinchuan cattle muscles, quantitative real-time PCR study witnessed considerable increases of mRNA level of FLII in cattle with CT genotype. For rs444484913, TT and/or TC genotypes were significantly associated with increased body traits of Qinchuan cattle while the qPCR data showed that the TT genotype was more conducive to FLII expression in fetal muscle. At rs522737248, performances of cattle with AA genotype showed compelling superior merits in all four breeds, and allele A had an increasing tendency for the mRNA expression of PPARγ in adult adipose and FLII in fetal muscle. These findings strongly demonstrate that the three SNPs of FLII gene could be utilized as molecular markers for future assisted selection in cattle breeding program.

SNP and haplotype analysis of paired box 3 (PAX3) gene provide evidence for association with growth traits in Chinese cattle

Paired box 3 (PAX3) belongs to the PAX superfamily of transcription factors and plays essential roles in the embryogenesis and postnatal formation of limb musculature through affecting the survival of muscle progenitor cells. By genetic mapping, PAX3 gene is assigned in the interval of quantitative trait loci for body weight on bovine BTA2. The objectives of this study were to detect polymorphisms of PAX3 gene in 1,241 cattle from five breeds and to investigate their effects on growth traits. Initially, three novel single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified by DNA pool sequencing and aCRS-RFLP methods (AC_000159: g.T-580G, g.A4617C and g.79018Ins/del G), which were located at 5'-UTR, exon 4 and intron 6, respectively. A total of eight haplotypes were constructed and the frequency of the three main haplotypes H1 (TAG), H2 (GCG) and H3 (GAG) accounted for over 81.7 % of the total individuals. Statistical analysis revealed that the three SNPs were associated with body height and body length of Nanyang and Chinese Caoyuan cattle at the age of 6 and/or 12 months old (P < 0.05), and consistently significant effects were also found in the haplotype combination analysis on these traits (P < 0.05). This study presented a complete scan of variations within bovine PAX3 gene, which could provide evidence for improving the economic traits of cattle by using these variations as potentially genetic markers in early marker-assisted selection programs.